


Aftermath

by jenjen92



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Fluff, Getting Back Together, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Spoilers, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-05-01 06:54:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14514867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenjen92/pseuds/jenjen92
Summary: This wasn't the right time for repairing broken relationships, but they needed each other more than anything for their small piece of comfort.





	Aftermath

 

It was light when Tony opened his eyes. There was no longer the dusky orange glow of the tired planet of Titan, no more dust threatening to fill his lungs. Instead, there was a lot of white, the familiar decor of the Avenger's Headquarters and Steve Rogers. Tony ignored the rush of blood shooting to his head and the lightheaded sensation that followed, shifting in the sheets to turn his head away.

"I must still be unconscious." He muttered, shutting his eyes again before reopening them, "Because Captain America is standing by my bedside looking like he lived in a cave for the past two years."

Steve managed to smile, although it was tired and faded almost instantly.

"Not far off the truth." He said. "How are you feeling?"

Tony swallowed, trying to prop himself up in his bed, expecting a pain that never came. His body ached, but overall he should have felt worse. Physically, at least. Slipping a hand up his shirt, he ghosted over where a nasty scar _should_ have been. There was nothing. It was unsettling, really. Tony sniffed.

"It's the beard, I think. It's not bad, but different from your usual squeaky clean look. Ages you, Rogers."

"Answer the question, Stark." Steve took a step closer, voice commanding. "We got a friend to patch you up, but we need to make sure you're okay."

"What do you want me to say? That everything is okay? How could anything be okay right now, Rogers?"

This was too much. Tony rose from his bed, ignoring the stretch in his legs. He could never match Steve's height but he tried to anyway, holding his neck up high to meet his eyes.

"Well, I'm not okay."

"Tony, calm down."

Steve put his hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze that was almost too firm. Tony took a deep breath through his nose, and let it out slowly. He rested his hand on top of Steve's, keeping their skin together for a moment before pushing it away gently.

"Who is still alive?"

"Rhodey. Bruce, Natasha, Thor. Myself. We are still trying to find out about Clint, Fury and other former SHIELD agents."

"Barnes?"

"He went first."

Tony tried to breathe away the nausea. Images continued to fill his mind.

"I need a lot of answers."

Steve's lips turned up into a wry smile as he folded his arms across his chest.

"We were hoping you might be able to give us some answers too."

Tony met his smile, running his fingers through his flattened hair. It was hard not to keep his gaze upon Steve despite the anger that still threatened to rise from his chest. Steve was here; real and _alive_.

"It really took an end of the universe event to bring us back together in the same room, huh."

Steve had the audacity to look offended, lips fused together in a tight frown.

"Well, you never called."

Tony narrowed his eyes.

" _You_ never called."

"I was waiting for you to forgive me."

"I wanted to. Forgive you, and call. I fucking missed you, but it wasn't that easy. And the longer that passed the harder it got to call."

"I get it." Steve's voice turned softer, more fond, "Things ended...messy between us, and I wasn't exactly in a good position to contact you either. But I missed you too."

He crossed the small distance between them and stretched out his arm, hovering his hand above Tony's cheek close enough to feel the feathery contact.

Tony tried to resist leaning into the touch, but it was futile. He allowed Steve's strong hands to trace over his cheek and brush against his beard, before resting underneath his chin.

"This is not the time to talk about us." Tony said, willing himself to move away from the hand but the touch helped him feel safe. Grounded. "The whole Earth, no universe, is in a state of panic."

"So we can't be doing the same." Steve's voice was somehow soothing through the anxiety bubbling through Tony's thoughts, "We need to work together Tony to try and reverse this."

Without him noticing, Steve's lips had moved close to his, breath tickling his nose. Tony shivered.

"The world needs Captain America right now."

"And Iron man."

His lips really were so close. So tempting.

Tony shook his head, breaking their gaze and striding towards the door and commanding FRIDAY to gather the survivors in the briefing room.

"Well they've got me. They have us- as a team. Nothing more. It's too late."

 

So, this was what the end of the world looked like, Tony thought as he entered the room where most were already gathered. There were several figures Tony did not recognise in the briefing room; some sporting injuries and some supporting others who could not keep it all in. They shouldn't have to pretend to be strong right now. Everyone should have their time to grieve.

Tony settled in between a raccoon that claimed he was with the guardians he met on Titan and a surly woman who was representing Wakanda. Natasha gave him a nod, eyes showing the words she couldn't say, as she continued to talk.

Roles were given out quickly. Research, compiling lists of the dead, and alive, offering aid to those across the planet who needed it amongst more that Tony admittedly tuned in and out of. He could not keep his focus.

"-we need to contact the Aunt of Peter Parker, find out if she is still alive and-"

Tony felt sick.

He rose from his chair, not turning to look at the faces as he stormed from the room. Not stopping, Tony trekked through empty corridors and lifts until he reached his own room and collapsed onto his bed. Even that felt wrong, lying in comfort in the middle of a crisis. Tony just needed some space. Then he could force himself to do his job.

Time seemed to slow down to nothing; it could have been hours or minutes later when Tony heard a knock on his door. Then another.

"Tony? Let me in."

Steve's voice was unmistakable despite the muffling from the door, Tony wondering why FRIDAY even let Steve get so far into his private quarters. Perhaps he still hadn't removed his permission from the database yet.

Tony considered ignoring it, waiting until Steve got bored and turned away. Yet this was _Captain America_ and tended to have unlimited patience in these sorts of situations. He stood up, brushing down the wrinkles in his clothing, before opening the door.

"Just give me five more minutes." Tony said quickly, not giving Steve time to talk, "Five minutes and I will be back in the briefing."

"The briefing is already over." Steve said, his broad figure awkward in the narrow doorway.

"Okay, awesome." Tony inched the door towards being closed, "What do I have to do? Sign me up for the research, by the way."

"Right now? Let me in."

Steve had his trademark concern all over his face from the crinkle in his eyebrows to the lines that formed at the corners of his mouth. All of that concern could not possibly be directed towards Tony, and Tony had his fair share of concerns for Steve too. He opened the door wider.

"How are you not falling apart?" Tony spoke under his breath as Steve shut the door behind him.

"I already did." His voice was quiet, stepping closer to Tony than his comfort zone would usually allow for anyone except him, "Everyone was fading away, and I thought you were gone. Thought I would never get to see you again."

Tony rubbed the back of his neck, keeping his gaze down. He couldn't look at Steve anymore. If he looked, he would break.

"Well, I should have been. Dead, I mean. Not the poof kind, but the body on the ground type."

"Tony-"

"It's true." Tony tried to keep his voice level, tried not to let the emotion take over, "Thanos should have killed me and that's a fact, Strange should never have traded the time stone for my life. Now a lot more are dead because of me."

He raised his head long enough to see Steve shaking his head- eyes fierce.

"It's survivor guilt."

"So what if it is? Aren't I allowed to feel something?" Tony could feel the heat rising to his head, unable to stop it. "Peter-he was just a kid, Steve, a dumb, stupid wonderful kid who I almost thought of as...and I got him killed."

"It was not your fault, Tony."

Tony did not notice that Steve's hands were rubbing slowly up and down his back, his strong arms wrapped around his torso. Instinctively, he pressed closer. Steve's scent had changed in the years they were apart, but it was still comforting. Tony hoped that his warmth against his chest could provide Steve with some reassurance, too.

"What if this is just it, huh? No turning back, and we just have to move forward with half the population of the fucking universe dead."

"There must be a way."

"Sometimes I hate your stupid optimism."

"And I hate how you have already given up."

Typical Steve. Tony did not reply, closing his eyes and instead focused on the steady beat of Steve's heart against his cheek.

"You didn't die on that planet, Tony, that must mean something. What you told us that the doctor said too, that must mean something. This could all be part of his plan. We have hope."

"Hope." Tony repeated. "Alright. Hope is going to win this for us, for sure."

Steve's lips curled up, once again, before he placed them firmly on top of Tony's.

This wasn't the time. It wasn't the time for Steve to be kissing him, hands on the back of his head pulling them together. It wasn't the time for their bodies to be flush together as he was gradually pressed against the wall. Tony didn't care. He kissed back.

Tony had missed this. Two years without Steve, trying to divert the government from his trail discreetly, sending money anonymously through sources when he knew he could. Two years of trying and failing to forget the man who left the biggest impression on his life and now here he was- kissing him at the end of the world.

"Steve." Tony couldn't help the sob that choked from his throat as he broke away, forehead resting on his shoulder.

"I've got you, I've got you Tony." Steve whispered into his ear, voice wavering.

It was only moments until their lips met again.

And maybe this in itself was their small piece of hope.

**Author's Note:**

> I think Infinity War destroyed everyone's souls, and writing something was the only way I could think of to cope with it! I had never seen cinemas in Japan so vocal both times I saw it...it was very emotional.   
> Thank you for reading :)


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